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[Scatty]

To answer your question, there is technically no level scaling, only higher number of monsters on higher difficulty. For example, you'll still encounter Demented Monks in New City even with level 70.
In different areas of the game though, there're certain ranges of monsters which can be encountered. Some are more rare than others, those are usually stronger, too. On the road from New City to Munkharama, for example, you already encounter stronger monsters than on the road from the starting location to New City. Those floaters you encountered are actually among the most (if not THE most) dangerous there since they poison and almost never miss with their shot tentacles, so no wonder they tore you to pieces.
If you manage to meet 1 group of like 4-5 and defeat them, they give a very high (for your level) amount of experience though. Enough to maybe even rise a level for everyone. Missile Shield (I think it's called that) helps a lot there.